Forget Domani
by minastargirl
Summary: A love story in which Remus becomes attracted to a beautiful Ravenclaw seeker and needs to woo said strumpet. It is at this time that strange events begin to transpire throughout the castle and Remus will find out if the love he has is strong enough.
1. The Lakeside Encounter

**A/N**: This orginally was a roleplay I did in my health class. For those who read the orginal roleplay there have been some "modifications" and for those of you just reading it, it's told sort of like a Remus's and Mina's POV story but instead of first person it's the omipresent third person.

_**Chapter One: The Lakeside Encounter**_

**Remus**  
Remus looked around him. The snow fell gently on his robes and his cloak. His clothes were slightly worn and faded. He sighed and pulled the thinning cloak tighter around him. He shivered as a gust of wind passed, and wiped a snowflake off his eyelashes. His pale cheeks were rosy from the cold, but yet he didn't feel like going inside.

He enjoyed the cold, crisp weather and his daily walks around the grounds, as it permitted him precious little time to think away from his overzealous friends. As he took another look around he saw something, or rather someone. He couldn't make out her features, except the billowing blonde hair and blue-trimmed robes. After a long debate with himself, during which she never moved, he finally decided to approach her.

**Mina  
**She stood very still, gazing out at the lake as she did so. There was so much on her mind as of late, that she frequently came here to think. What with her Muggle mother in the hospital for the past two weeks, and her father's very vague owls, Mina didn't know what to think and was on the verge of hysteria. She desperately needed to talk to someone, and since all her friends had boarded the Hogwarts Express not more than a couple of days ago, she found herself coming here more and more often, and for longer and longer durations of time.

Hearing something, she tore her gaze away from the lake, and looked about her. As she had already guessed, she was not alone. A few meters away was a boy apparently from Gryffindor. She took a few tentative steps towards him, not sure if he happened to be Sirius Black, James Potter, or someone as equally terrifying. He too, was slowly, tentatively approaching her, and as they got closer, recognition slowly etched itself into their features amist the swirling snow.

"Remus?" she asked, puzzled by his appearance near the lakeside. She usually made it a point to avoid the Marauder's, as they were known, but as seeing that Remus was the only one in the vacancy she deemed it relatively safe to converse with him.

**Remus**

He arched a dark eyebrow. She only spoke to him whenever the rest of the Marauder's had cleared the surrounding vacancy, which always remained a sore point for him. She was probably the only girl he had ever truly cared for, and here she was avoiding him because of the people he chose to associate with. He sighed, knowing her's was a valid reason. He closed the remaining distance between them.

"Mina? I thought you weren't speaking to me. You've been rather...um...distant as of late." he bashfully exclaimed, knowing full well it was due to Sirius' less than appropriate whistling and James' banter.

**Mina**

She dropped her eyes to the bright white ground, feeling herself flush.

"I...um...well...I've been busy?" she coughed lightly and asserted herself, "I've been busy...You look like you could use some company?" she asked rather than said, and at the same time voicing her own desires. "But...if you want me to leave..." she concluded lamely, letting the unfinished sentence hang in the air.

**Remus**

"NO!" he yelled, a bit too enthusiasticly, earning a curious glance from Mina. "I was just wondering...you know..." he bit his lip. He was so fed up with his friends chasing everyone away from him, that it was all he could do to keep from hexing them. That was why he constantly found himself outside, walking around aimlessly for hours. As if it weren't bad enough he was a werewolf...

**Mina  
**  
"Wondering what?" she probed gently. This was as good a distraction as any to get her mind off her mother.

**Remus  
**  
"Oh, so sorry, what was that?" he asked, trying to remember his last sentence while at the same time racking his brain for any one cognitive thought, and failing miserably, began to stare at his shoe thoughtfully, as if curious as to how it got there. He loathed feeling shy, because it was at those points, he felt the stutter he had defeated as a child returning.

Suddenly a conversation topic presented itself to Remus. He took a deep, calming draught of air and bravely ventured, "So, how has your vacation been?" After noting the pained expression that briefly flew across her features, he was about to change his topic when suddenly she managed a feeble, "It's been...great...And how have you been? I trust that you are...enjoying yourself?"

Remus was shocked. No female (family members excluded) had ever been genuinely concerned with how he had felt about anything, or how anything in life went for him. He knew Mina wasn't simply returning a polite question, she honestly wanted to know...Naturally it took a while for him to recuperate from the shock of this reciprocating question. "Well, I...um...there hasn't been much to do...it's been uneventful, but...fun." It was only partially true but Remus didn't wish to place his burdens upon Mina during one of their rare conversations, so he wisely refrained from complaining. He watched her closely to see if anything she wanted to add was forthcoming, instead she returned to gazing at the lake and nodding respectfully. He too, followed her gaze, and stood like that for several minutes waiting patiently for her to say something.

**Mina  
**  
She resumed standing there, staring morosely out at the lake, acutely aware of Remus standing by her side, but her thoughts had turned elsewhere. To a hospital in the northern most part of England called St. Rose or something else as equally promising. She thought of her usually vibrant, energetic, witty mother being bound to a bed, and no doubt being subjected to horribly painful tests. Mina carefully placed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, gently tucking it back into place, while recalling her father's first frantic owl concerning her mother.

* * *

_Flashback  
_  
_She was giggling, a sound similar to bells tinkling on a soft, moonlit summer's night. Several young men turned their heads to see what sort of a creature could emit such a delightful chorus, and as they did so they were greeted with a breath taking sight. One of the most gorgeous young women in the school, Mina, a Ravenclaw chaser with immense intellectual capacity, tasteful wit, and a singularly pleasing demeanor, was walking gracefully down the corridor with several of her bosom friends surrounding her. _

"'Twas most amusing!" Mina breathlessly exclaimed through giggles. "So Nicki, whatever did you say next?" Though the words might strike some as a tad bit prattish, just a glance into those cerulean eyes, and you'd know she was in earnest. Unfortunately time, and a great deal of teasing by other fifth year girls, had eliminated the once intriguing Old English speech. The young men watched with intense stares each, and every fluent movement coming from the exquisite fifth year chaser until she disappeared into the Great Hall for breakfast.

She sat down at her table, ignoring the pointed stares in her direction from members of the opposite gender as she did so. In front of her was a grand breakfast, as always, made by the house elves. Helping herself to the bountful provisions she began to indulge in the idle chit- chat that most girls are famous for. After a few minutes of cajoling, the owls came. Mina, ever eager to receive her mail, rose a few inches off her seat and caught the mail as her owl, Aliante, dropped it into her waiting hands. Seeing as it was written in her father's handwriting, she tore open the letter to be assaulted by utterly horrendous news.

_End Flashback_

* * *

"Oh! I'm ever so sorry, did you say something?" she asked of Remus, startled out of her reverie. He shook his head slowly, while watching her out of the corner of her eye. She felt herself blush and began to feel ridiculous. 

"I haven't been very good company have I?" she asked truthfully of him. Not really expecting an answer, nor wanting one, she cleared her throat, "Shall we go back up to the castle?" she was glancing at the impressive structure, so she did not notice the pained expression flint across Remus's face.

"I could try to compensate you for discourtesy I showed you a moment ago." she offered, and looking towards Remus for approval, saw his now- jovial expression which she took as acceptance.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked trying to appear nonchalant and conceal a smile.

"Perhaps a cup of hot chocolate?" she offered, when nothing better came to mind.

**Remus**

Remus pondered this. He wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect being seen with Mina in such a public place. Not that he was ashamed to be seen with her, it was just that, needless to say, he felt less than exhilarated at the thought that the infamous Hogwarts rumor mill would churn up something about himself and Mina. He always imagined a romantic, more secluded spot than the Great Hall for their first real conversation.

An idea struck him. "Do you trust me?" He inquired softly, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes.

"Yes,...but what's that got to-" her inquiry was cut short when he grabbed her hand and began to run through the snow.

"Remus!" she protested through giggles. "What are you doing?"

He shot her an amused backward glance, "You'll see." he replied cryptically, still running with her through the snow amid her protests and giggles.


	2. Of Bludgers and Beaters

**A/N**: Just to let you know this chapter is really a bit superfluous, but I deemed it somewhat vital to the overall quality of the story.

_**Chapter Two:Of Bludgers and Beaters**_

**Mina**  
"Remus!" she was gasping desperately for air as he pulled her along behind him. She could barely remain upright she was shaking so hard from the gales of laughter that threatened to overcome her.

"We...must look...ridiculous..." she managed between gasps and giggles. Finally, his pace slowed considerably as he led her deliberately to a solid brick wall. Upon seeing the wall she gave Remus a quizzical look, but said nothing, as she was trying to regain her breath. A smile still gracing her features, Mina saw Remus reveal his wand, and mutter an incantation. At his word, the brick wall wavered and appeared to become slightly liquid-like.

"Ladies first." he explained, bowing low at the waist.

Mina curtsied, "Why, thank you Remus." She knew they were both being a tad bit imbecilic, but she relished the opportunity to forget her woes, and engage in childish behavior.

She walked confidently into the warm, liquid-like barrier with Remus following close behind. When she stepped into the warm, dry room and got her wits about her, she took in the midnight blue decor and furnishings in one long, appraising look. The room smelt faintly of french vanilla and she suspected that this was Remus's doing.

"This place is amazing! Did you decorate it yourself? I know this may sound a bit peculiar, but does it have a name? And if I also may inquire, how many people know if this place?" she asked excitedly. She had never seen anything like it at Hogwarts, nor anywhere else and was immediately intrigued and eager to learn everything about this room that appeared to be behind a solid brick wall and summoned into existence with a mere flick of the wrist and whisper of words. Any topic that wasn't concentrated on her or on her vacation was adecent subject in her eyes.

**Remus**  
He smiled as she turned her back to him, inspecting one of the magical oddites artfully displayed about the room. "As a matter of fact, I did decorate it myself. Precious few people know about this place and..." he bit his lip as he let her other inquiry go unanswered. Alas, being curious and wishing for Remus to divulge to her the secrets surrounding this peculiar place she noticed that he had left her question unanswered, for a second later she asked airily, "Does it have a name?" He faltered, knowing she would not like the answer that was forthcoming.

"Well, Mina,...welcome to the Marauders Lair." He knew he did not need to tell her why it was dubbed as such and instantly felt like a prat for bringing her to this place. He saw her tense up briefly, then as she turned to him, he was surprised to see that she looked more concerned than angry.

**Mina**  
She was more than a little bit shocked that Remus had brought her to this place, but was suddenly worried.

"Remus, won't your friends feel angry and a bit..." she paused thoughtfully, searching for the right word, "betrayed?" She would have loved to stay with him and talk about everything, particularly her mother and her own growing hysteria, but decided that being sent to the hospital wing due to some vicious malady James Potter had inflicted on her for walking into his scared clubhouse ( tastefully decorated by Remus ) was a very unattractive offer. She immediately became weary of the situation and patiently remained where she was waiting for Remus to say something.

**Remus**  
She looked at him with trust-filled eyes, waiting for an honest answer, and regrettably Remus could not give her one.

"I...um...well...no girl has ever been in here before so..." he felt himself blushing and hated himself for it. "I can't give you an honest answer, but I'm sure everything'll be fine." he expelled in one breath. He didn't want her to go and felt relieved when she relaxed. Feeling awkward and a bit self-conscious, Remus sat down on the remarkably comfortable sofa, and summoned up some hot chocolate.

"Shall we?" he asked in a mocking English tone.

**Mina**  
"We shall of course!" she exuberantly proclaimed, while gracefully falling down on the comfy sofa. She gently gripped the warm mug of hot chocolate in her hands, and gingerly took a sip. She closed her eyes, and absorbed the smell and the taste of the delectable concoction, though it wasn't before long when she suddenly felt Remus's stare upon her and opened up her eyes. He turned away, while at the same time turning a brilliant shade of red. Mina smiled at him, while fiddling with her cup of hot chocolate. After several awkward moments of silence, Remus cleared his throat and ventured a question.

"Um...I know that this is kind of a personal question and forgive me for proding...but are you sure you're alright?" Remus asked tentatively, while stuttering in an effort to explain himself, "What I mean is that...when I asked you how your vacation went...you seemed kind of gloomy." he sat there patiently, amazed at his own words and daring.

She sighed. The topic was always deverted back to her whenever Remus was concerned, but unlike before she didn't feel anxious, but nor did she feel extremely grateful. She hesitated and almost told him, before switching the subject to something more agreeable...like Quidditch. Remus took the hint and joined her in a spirited conversation, in which they talked about everything ( or rather anything ) Quidditch related: bludgers, beaters, chasers, and seekers. Soon after discussing the vast merits of the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor teams, Remus bashfully muttered something to the floor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that." she replied to the mumbling, while leaning in closer in the hopes of hearing an audible sentence.

"I can' t fly!" he muttered miserably into his hands.

"Can't fly?" Mina repeated.

"I'm terrified of heights, but at the same time..." he sighed dejectedly, "It's like an actor getting stage-fright." He loved feeling the wind against his face, loved being up in the high Astronomy tower or Quidditch stands, but only when his feet where touching something solid. James and Sirius teased him mercilessly, as seeing they were both prominent Quidditch players. Sirius was the Gryffindor beater, while James took the proud title of the Gryffindor seeker. Remus longed to be up there in the air with them, cajoling and goofing off before practice, but his persistently annoying fear kept him grounded, as he looked on with envy before every practice at the careening figures above him.

"I could teach you, Remus." she said full of excitement, while at the same time putting an arm around his shoulder, wishing to comfort this poor boy, who was clearly torn between fear and fate.

**Remus**  
"Really? That'd be terrific!" he proclaimed, aware that her arm was around his shoulder, comforting him. As if able to read his thoughts, Mina quietly withdrew her arm.

"How about tomorrow at the Quidditch pitch?" she asked lively, full of energy and life. "What time works for you?...Is ten o' clock alright?"

He nodded, "Of course."

She stood up, while looking at her watch. "I had best be going..."

"Oh! Right." Remus replied, begining to stand. "Just walk through the barrier."

"Thanks ever so much for inviting me..."

"Don't mention it!" he called back after her. He saw her give a nod and with one final _swosh!_ she was gone, leaving him standing there, alone with his thoughts.


	3. The Yuletide Ball

**A/N:** Since I strongly dislike Peter he will have very few lines, if any at all. The ones I do grace him with will be brief and inane, but he will always be in the general vacancy of James and Sirius, savvy?

_**Chapter Three: The Yuletide Ball**_

**Mina  
**  
As she walked out of the Marauder's Lair, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had yet to encounter James and Sirius face-to-face and considered herself lucky. After quickly surveying the grounds about her, she breathed in the cool, crisp air that tenderly caressed her lungs, and with a slight spring in her step and all unwanted thoughts of her mother's evidential misery pushed into the dark recesses of her mind, she headed straight for the castle. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and could put even the most bitter of people in a fantasic mood.

That morning broke on a beautifully white world. It had been a very mild December thus far and the remaining students of Hogwarts weren't looking forward to a green Christmas; but just enough snow fell softly in the night to transfigure the grand old castle and its surroundings. Mina had peeped out from her frosted window with delighted eyes. The firs in the Forbidden Forest were all feathery and wonderful; the birches and wild trees that were scattered about the grounds were outlined in pearl; the empty fields were stretches of mere snowy dimples; and there was a sort of crisp tang in the air that was simply glorious.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Mina all but skipped out onto the grounds, where the snow resumed its silent descent. Then, she remembered why she was out here, to think. The weather was only a wonderful and timely distraction, as was Remus...

The sound of crunching snow brought her back to reality. Fearing it to be James Potter or some other menace, she quitely slipped away and began her journey back up to the castle.

**Remus  
**  
He sat there quietly, musing in the silence she had left behind. If only there were some way to show her his nonperishably, ineradicable affections for her. He sat there for quite some time, pondering as how to do this in a seemly generic and totally unobtrusive manner. His musings were ever so rudely interrupted by a thoroughly disgruntled James.

"How could they? This is utterly preposterous, what with more than three-fourths of the students gone! I simply cannot believe it! So..." James faltered in his tirade, and it was clear he was absolutely, breath- takingly livid. Remus decided to let his temper go unchecked, as he dearly valued his life.

"So," James repeated, marching past the various magical oddities and turning to face Remus as though he were about to pronounce him in violation of some Marauder code of ethics. "_So..."_

Remus would have loved dearly to have said, "So what?" but he didn't feel that James's temper should be tested this early in the morning, especially when it was already under severe strain from whatever seemed to be bothering him. He therefore settled for looking politely puzzled, while he bit his lip, confident he was drawing blood.

"The teacher's have just come up with this outrageous idea!" James spewed forth, as if that explained everything. Remus nodded his head slowly, while still biting his lip, trying to suppress his gale force laughter. He had known James to go utterly berserk over the most trival of issues, and probably attributed this recent outcry to the Hogwarts staff banning Butterbeer or something as equally as absurd.

"The teachers think that, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MORE THAN HALF THE HOWARTS POPULATION ISN'T HERE, that they should host a dance!" James yelled, whose hair was on end because of all the times he had run his fingers through it in frustation in the past few minutes. "Can you believe it?" he asked for the second time in as many minutes.

A broad smile spread across Remus's face. He quickly caught himself, and stifled the bubbling laughter that threatened to overflow at any second. "That's horrible!" he managed with a straight face, all the while thanking the divine being that had answered his prayer.

**Mina  
**  
When she arrived in the entrance hall, she found herself unable to proceed owing to the peculiarly large crowd of students congregated there, all milling around a rather large sign that had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase.

"What on earth?" she muttered to herself, for it seemed that every student that was staying at Hogwarts over the break was crammed into this room, apparently of their own accord. "Excuse me, prefect coming through!" she warned the mass of people nearest her. After several minutes of pushing and proding through the buzzing crowd, she had finally reached the sign, and began reading to herself:

* * *

**_The First Annual Yuletide Ball_**

_The first Hogwarts Christmas Eve Ball will begin at 6 o' clock_

_on Friday the 24th of December. Lessons will end early._

_Dress robes or other formal attire required._

* * *

Mina herself was quite stunned by the news. Nothing like this had ever happened at Hogwarts before and Mina silently pondered to what the students owed this occasion. She was still thinking, when all of the sudden the Head Boy's shrill voice cut through the buzzing air, "All right, that's quite enough! There's nothing to see here, please proceed to the Great Hall for breakfast!" Mina, still puzzled by the appearance of the sign, wondered briefly whether or not the sign was indeed a joke. She shrugged it off and proceeded up the marble staircase to her own Ravenclaw dormitory to finish what was left of her massive amounts of homework. 

When Mina returned to the Great Hall that afternoon for lunch, she stopped abruptly. The sign was still there, thus meaning that it was obviously not a hoax, as seeing that some ever vigilant teacher would've promptly removed it. She sighed to herself and opened the doors to the Great Hall, surprised to see almost all the Hogwarts students sitting down at their various tables, chatting in an animate manner.

"MINA!" a female voice called across the hall, and Mina quickly turned her head in the direction of the voice. She waved mirthfully at one of the Hufflepuff girls, with whom she was good friends with, and began to walk over to an offered seat. "Where have you been?" Nicki asked in her usually curious demeanor.

"Around..." Mina replied vaguely in answer to her friend's question. Mina quickly said her hellos to the fourteen surrounding girls and began to carefully select food items for her brunch. The appearance of the sign in the entrance hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle. Rumors were flying from student to student like highly contagious germs: who was going with whom, what was to be at the dance ( some said Dumbledore had booked a very popular wizarding band ), and why they were having the dance in the first place, among other such superfluous questions that were to go unanswered.

Mina also noticed that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra- thorough cleaning before the decorations were put up that day. All the grimy paintings had been scrubbed, and the suits of armor were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, the latter being a miracle in itself. And as she and the rest of the Hogwarts students were naturally curious as the day went on as to why the castle was undergoing such a drastic transformation, not one person had the courage to ask a passing teacher. The reason, of course, being that the staff members looked oddly tired today and were obviously more prone to snap at students, so everyone decided it was best to keep quiet and accept this...gift, if it could be dubbed as such.

Fortunately, she had had only one run-in with the Marauder's during the course of the day, and it was during this time that she was surrounded by several of her Hufflepuff girlfriends. She gave Remus a curt, but polite nod as her friends tried desperately to spirit her away before anything should happen to them, or her, courtesy the Marauder's.

**Remus  
**  
James was pacing around the common room, growing ever nervous with each increasing step. "How can they do this? Or, more importantly, why did Lily go home for the break?" he wailed disconsolately, dropping into a chair. Despite the fact that Lily and James were not yet dating, James wanted desperately to ask her to a formal gathering, as he missed his last chance during the time of the Halloween Ball. Remus too, was becoming more nervous as the hours went by and he still found himself dateless (no matter that he had only read the sign just hours ago).

"Well, well, well," said Sirius suddenly, patting Remus gently on the back as if trying to console a mourner, "looks like James might finally crack." Then, with a solemn tone in his voice that gave him the impression of a general that suggested that they were planning the storming of an impregnable fortress, Sirius said, "When we get back to the common room tonight, all of us will have dates,...agreed?"

_Well_, Remus thought bitterly, _easy for you to say_. Sirius could escort any number of girls to the ball without the slightest hint of a problem, but Remus, not wishing to put a further damper on the mood, shook his head affirmatively.

"Um...sure?" Remus mumbled, knowing it was more of a question than an answer.


	4. Of Chasers and Seekers

_**Chapter Four: Of Chasers and Seekers**_

**Mina  
**She fell down wearily onto a couch in the common room. The ever volatile English climate had abruptly changed from snow to rain. The light rain had started to fall during the midafternoon; it was very cozy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle patter of the drops on the window, while letting her mind wander. She stared into the fire; the book she had been reading was ignored on her lap, her fingers acting as a delicate bookmark.

She loved letting her mind wander, especially during these stressful and turbulent times. The silence was broken instantaneously by a soft _tap, tap _on the window. Mina looked across the now empty common room and saw, illuminated by the moonlight, a minute, grey owl (that very much resembled a feathery tennis ball) perched on the windowsill. She had seen that owl before but where? Suddenly it hit her.

"Mungojerrie!" she shouted, and she launched herself off of the couch and across the room to pull open the window.

Mungojerrie flew inside, soared across the room, and landed on the table, right on top of Mina's book.

"Remus sent you?" she asked the owl quizzically. Mungojerrie stuck out his leg to which was tied a grubby piece of parchment. Mina hastily untied it and sat back down on the couch prepared to read, whereupon Mungojerrie fluttered onto her knee, hooting softly.

The letter was very short, and looked as though it had been written with great care. Mina cooed the contents of the letter at Mungojerrie:

* * *

**Mina,  
I would be greatly pleased if we could reschedule our Quidditch practice. **

**Remus**

* * *

Mina looked up at Mungojerrie perplexed, as the bird stared back at her, clicking his beak expectantly. She dug into her robes searching for the treat she knew was there. Well, what did she expect? It wasn't as if he was going to ask her to the Yuletide Ball or something...She chortled with a hollow laughter, blinking back tears, getting tangled in her robes, and accidently jolting Mungojerrie out of her lap as she did so. She thrust the treat at him indignantly as if he were the cause of all her anguish, and then realizing she was behaving this way towards an owl, softened up considerably. Patiently feeding Mungojerrie the aforementioned treat, she grabbed her nearby quill and parchment and hastily scribbled a reply:

* * *

_Of course,  
We can schedule it after the Yuletide Ball. _

_Mina_

_

* * *

_

She gently tied the letter to Mungojerrie's leg, and carried him to the windowsill, perched on her finger. Mungojerrie then hooted softly in a reassuring way, as he spread his tiny little wings and took off into the light rain. Mina watched him fly out of sight with an unfamiliar feeling of unease settling into her stomach. Honestly, what did she expect the letter to say?

**Remus**  
Not very much unlike a father pacing in a maternity ward, Remus paced nervously about the common room. He had no clue as to why he had worked himself into a tizzy over this simple request to reschedule a simple Quidditch session. Somewhere in the dark concavities of his mind he knew why he had gotten himself so worked up. To see her elegantly sophisticated longhand writing made his heart trill with anticipation, and read her luxuriant phrasing was almost more than he could bear. To Remus's great dismay, the Marauder's too, had noticed his bizarre behavior.

"Oi! Remus! Breathe mate, you look as if you're about to suffer from a cardiac arrest!" Sirius called jokingly. James, after downing several Butterbeers in his depression over Lily, joined in the banter.

"Relax old chum, it's not like you asked her to the ball!" James yelled rather loudly, which to Remus's chagrin, earned booming laughter from the Marauder's and several chuckles from other people scattered about the cozy common room.

"I'm just worried about Mungojerrie, that's all! Lord knows that bird could easily get lost in this tempest!" Remus hotly replied. Never mind that it was only drizzling outside, James was so drunk Remus was surprised he had not yet begun to see double, and Sirius's mental state was rapidly approaching that of James'.

He turned around to hear a barely audible _tap! _and saw the soaking feathery tennis ball that was Mungojerrie. "Mungojerrie!" he practically screeched, throwing open the window to the common room as the dripping tennis ball stepped in. He gently tore off the letter, and aware of the Marauder's drunken eyes on him, made a great show of Mungojerrie's safety. "Oh thank Merlin you're alright!" he said clutching the wet bundle of feathers to his chest, causing Mungojerrie to squeak at the injustice of it all. After letting the irate owl go, Remus slowly, but calmly walked past the Marauder's and into his dormitory room that he shared with the rest of his now drunken comrades.

Confident they were to past out in the common room, Remus tenderly laid the note containing Mina's answer, thus far unread, on his bedside table, while promptly dressing into his appropriate nighttime attire. When he did unfurl the rolled up parchment he was more than a bit surprised at what she wrote:

* * *

_Of course,  
We can schedule it after the Yuletide Ball. _

_Mina_

_

* * *

_

He was not sure what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. Then what exactly was it? he asked himself irritably, now annoyed with his irrational behavior. Honestly, what did he expect her response to say? He lay awake almost all night long, not realizing she was doing the exact same thing, asking herself the exact same questions.

**Mina  
**The dawn of Monday, December 19 started with snow falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds. Mina smiled when she noticed that Hagrid's cabin mirrored a picture of an iced gingerbread house and his adjoining pumpkin patch looked like something out of a holiday greeting card.

When she had finally awoke and dressed, she hurried out of her common room and into the corridor on her way to the Great Hall, but what she saw stunned her into a respectful silence. The Hogwarts staff seemed determined to show the castle at its best this particular Christmas, no doubt for the Yuletide Ball. When the decorations were put up, Mina noticed that they were the most stunning she had yet to see inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bededcked with everything from real, hooting, golden owls, to luminous red holly berries, and the suits of armor had been bewitched to sing a variety of Christmas carols whenever anything crossed their path. It was quite amusing to hear suits of armor sing full verses of "O Christmas Tree" and "O Come, Ye Merry Gentlemen" with orchestral interludes.

Smiling brilliantly and shaking her head at what appeared to be the folly of the Hogwarts staff, Mina happily strolled through the corridors as one might through the woods. She looked with awe at the picturesque decorations while waiting for the rest of the castle to rouse.

**Remus  
**Remus was pleasantly surprised at the new Hogwarts decor, and strolled through the corridors and other points of interest throughout the castle with an appraising eye. He had almost begun to feel his heart lift slightly from the disappointment of last night, and made a vow to himself to ask Mina out before sunset of that very day. He smiled, feeling better, if not a tad bit more bold, already. He returned to the common room waiting for the Marauder's the rouse from their drunken stupor.

**Mina  
**At a quarter past seven, she meet her friends outside the portrait to their common room, and she immediately found herself engaged in a lively converstation about the merits of silver and what color it was most likely to bring out about her person.

As the giggling gaggle of girls flocked to the Grand Hall, Mina couldn't help but feel a twinge of petulance owing to last night's events. Although more than half the Hogwarts population was gone, all fourteen Hufflepuff girls, fifth years and above included, all had dates or partners to the Yuletide Ball. Mina, feeling very much like the ugly duckling in the gala of swans, was feeling just a farthing worth of annoyance; it did not cross her mind that the Marauder's knew of Remus's infatuation with her and threated to hex anyone witless enough to ask her to the dance, and as a result, all probable suitors steered clear of Mina. She made an effort at small talk, but always found her gaze constantly drifting over to the Gryffindor table in the hopes that she might see a certain someone...

**Remus  
**What was he playing at? The odds a girl like her would say yes to a bloke like himself was showing a level of obvious incompetence bordering on the imbecilic. He buried his head in his hands, not sure anymore what he was to do. Every time he glimpsed Mina that day she was surrounded by friends. Even when going to the lavatory Mina seemed to go there with an escort of four or five girls... Didn't the poor girl do _anything_ alone? Did she even know what it truly meant? Remus felt a pang of pain caused by his own train of thought. Getting quickly back to the matter at hand, Remus tried, in vain, to plan an effective way to lure an unsuspecting Mina, devoid of friends, to him. He immediately thought of the Quidditch pitch, but somehow that didn't seem romanic enough, and he briefly remembered he had canceled the Quidditch practice until after the Yuletide Ball. After remembering this, he made a brusque mental note to curse himself once back in the saftey of his own common room. The Marauder's Lair perhaps? No, too risky as James or Sirius might walk in on something important. Yet if he didn't do it soon and kept rejecting various locations for whatever reason, she was bound to have been asked by somebody else.

This thought pushed all others out of poor Remus's love sick mind. He'd just ask Mina for a word with him, that was all...He ran with a new fervor, recklessly careening through various corridors hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved. Thankfully, it worked. Remus saw the back of Mina's long, strawberry blonde hair done up in a clip and ran headlong to her retreating figure. After gaining considerable ground and trying to catch his breath, he politely tapped her shoulder, and as she spun around to confront him, he greeted her with a smile.

"Um...Mina? Could I have a word with you?" Remus blushed.

Snickering should be made punishable by magical law, Remus thought angrily, as all the girls surrounding Mina began to commence in this highly illegal activity. Mina looked curiously at Remus as he had never sought her out before, and wondered briefly to what she owed the pleasure. She followed him out of earshot of her friends.

"Okay, what's up?" she asked concerned.

Remus admired her. Always concerned about the welfare of others before her own; always there to lend a helping hand or offering a shoulder to cry on; always...He shook himself out of his silent stupor.

"Er," he mumbled intelligently. He couldn't ask her. He couldn't. But he had to, and he must. Mina stood there looking puzzled, watching him.

The words came out before Remus could stop them. "CanwedoQuidditchpracticeonthe27th?" he silently berated himself and if Mina hadn't been there, Remus would've taken the nearest sconce out of the wall and gladly beat himself to death with it.

"Sorry?" Mina asked, still wearing a puzzled expression.

Remus now muttered to the floor, "I was wondering how Quidditch practice on the 27th sounded to you?" he kept berating himself with each word. Quidditch practice? Pretty soon she'll think that's all I think about! he silently fumed. He was so busy damaging himself psychologically, he almost missed Mina's answer.

"Oh, that'll be fine." she replied with a (dare he think it?) crestfallen manner. "Is that all?" she asked, more hesitant this time. Remus noticed her friends behind her becoming more rowdy and quickly assured her, "Um, no, I'm good..." how he longed to tell her why he had really called her over! Every fiber in his being longed to hold her, but...He merely gave her a noncommital wave, while watching her rejoin her friends, and as she turned back one last time, he flashed her a calming smile while the rest of his insides were breaking into a million pieces.


	5. A Mother's Malady

_**Chapter Five: A Mother's Malady**_

**Mina**  
After bidding her Hufflepuff friends farewell until tomorrow's festivities, Mina wearily climbed the ascending staircase to her own dormitory room, ignoring the playful banter from her fellow housemates as she did so. As she slowly put on her evening attire, her mind drifted to Remus and his puzzling behavior. What was the whole scene in the corridor about? She sighed, her mind too slow to think analytically. "Men!" she mumbled to her four poster bed, just before pulling the curtains closed. She was asleep soon after her head hit the pillow.

**Remus**  
He sat there, irritable and despondent, not sure which emotion was to take precedence as each one rolled into him like a wave in equal increments. Why was this so hard? he asked himself, knowing the question was rhetorical. Every time he saw her he constantly found himself trying to catch the breath she took away. Her fair, almost elfin like, complexion; her soft, gleaming, strawberry blonde hair; her deep cerulean eyes with those alluring, exotic lashes that could pierce his heart with the most generic of looks; the mere curvature of her figure, everything about her was perfect. The way she laughed that was pleasantly synonymous to a bubbling brook filled with loquacious wood nymphs; the way she unpretentiously tossed her hair; the way her brow furrowed ever so slightly over a tough Arithmancy problem; the way she would say something so cleverly witty just to put you out of your foul mood. Remus sighed in a dreamy manner; there was no doubt about it, Remus had fallen...and hard.

And maybe that was what scared him in this particular predicament. He had never felt this way and was growing increasingly nervous. Was this normal? Remus was struck by hollow laughter at his own question. He had never been normal during the whole course of his memorable life, being a werewolf was a sure indication of that. He ran his fingers through his hair in utter defeat, moaning at the floor. Suddenly, two hands were placed on his shoulders.

"You've got it bad mate." James whispered with a smile.

Sirius wiped a nonexistent tear out of his eye. "Our little Remus is all grown up!" Sirius cooed.

"Shut up you stupid great prat!" Remus said with a smile on his face as he threw his pillow at Sirius.

Sirius ducked and pretended to rub a wound on the back of his head all the while winking at Remus. "Oh Remus!" Sirius wailed jokingly, "now I'm really hurt!"

James grinned mischievously while at the same time showing the boys the pillow he wielded. "Oh no you don't!" Sirius yelled, right before he was hit in the face, and awarded a mouthful of feathers for his efforts at keeping the peace. Remus looked for another fluffy white weapon of destruction as James tried desperately to clip the side of Remus's head with his pillow.

"Armed and _dangerous_!" Sirius shouted behind them. Not too long after, both felt excruciating blows to the head and neck region.

"SIRIUS YOU SODDING _GIT_!" Remus bellowed jovially while attempting to hit Sirius.

"Hit me with your best shot!" Sirius playfully dared, all the while trying to fend off James Potter's ever increasingly vicious attacks.

It was too difficult to declare a winner, so when the fight finally did end, each boy sunk down wearily onto his respective bed, while staring up at his respective canopy on top of his respective four poster bed, involved in his own train of thought. Remus had just closed his eyes, prepared to enjoy a nap before he went downstairs to tackle the massive amounts of homework all teachers love to bury their students in over any type of break, when he fell into a deeply disturbed slumber.

* * *

_In his dream, Remus was attending an open casket funeral. He looked about himself, puzzled, for it was surely not his own funeral that the weeping mass of people attended. He was dressed in Muggle clothing and earning a few sympathetic glances; it was fairly obvious that the mourners attributed his bizarre fashion statement to a grief so deep that Remus was unable to think clearly enough to pick out sensible attire. _

_Remus brushed past them, looking for a familiar living face, eyes avoiding the coffin, and the corpse within, the whole time. He saw her there, standing next to the coffin listlessly listening to people that one could only assume were relati__ons pay their respects. Her eyes were red and puffy, a sign that she was drinking constantly, crying constantly, or both. He managed to make his way to her, through the throng of disconsolate people, pushing them out of the way, frantic now to know what had happened and who was in the coffin. His voice was oddly strained and warped, the words that he had yelled at the top of his lungs came out to a barely audible, "Mina, what's going on?" Staring straight ahead with a zombie-like intensity, Mina remained unresponsive; so Remus took a deep breath, with the stale air poisoning his lungs, and leaned over to catch a glimpse of the person in the casket. Before the urge to vomit took utmost supremacy in Remus's mind and body, the woman he saw reminded him of Mina, and as seeing she was noticeably older than Mina, Remus came to the conclusion that he was staring into the face of Mina's beloved_ _mother._

* * *

Remus woke up with Sirius and James on either side of his four poster bed, shaking him, both wearing the idential expressions of concern. It was almost like waking up from a bad hangover, and in some ways, he was. It took him several moment to realize that he had gotten himself and the bedsheets soaked in a cold sweat. "Like dementors they were, all dressed in black! Looming over me, watching, waiting, and...her mother! Oh, the poor girl's mother! Whatever am I to tell her?" Remus babbled on and on incoherently, all the while staring pleadingly into the eyes of his best friend's willing everything to be all right. So bizarre and completely out of character was Remus's behaviour, that there were several moments in which Sirius and James were frightened into seriously considering sending him to the hospital wing, reguardless of the hour of the night. After several more minutes of rambling nonsense later, Sirius and James were able to calm Remus enough to convince him to sleep; fortunately the sleep-deprived Remus, who was reduced to a shaking, fearful child by what was clearly a horrendous nightmare, was in a somewhat fitful slumber moments later. 

**Mina  
**She awoke before dawn from a very restless sleep, what with Remus and her mother constantly on her mind, Mina was lucky to get in the few hours she did every night. She decided she had best take another walk about the grounds to clear her mind, though the last walk had muddled her mind rather than clear it. She ruefully slipped on her cloak and made for the entrance hall, conscience of the singing suits of armour she left in her wake.

For once in her life, Mina didn't want to retrieve her mail, and took comfort in the saying, "No news is good news." She just wished for Aliante to fly around gallantly, protecting and defending her from other news-bearing owls. Mina smiled at this thought, and would've laughed had the situation not been so dire...She could decipher little from the hastily scrawled notes her father had sent, and what she could had not been pleasant in the least. Mina could only expect the news to get worse, and her father had told her as much. The doctors didn't know what her mum had, but they did know one thing she didn't have; time. What good are doctors, Mina had fumed, if they didn't know what was wrong with you and how to cure it?

She was feeling so many things at one time that she was suffering from an emotional breakdown. Madam Pomfrey had soothingly told her as much, after she had had to recieve a mandatory Calming Draught, for Madam Pomfrey had feared Mina was about to suffer from a full blown anxiety attack. Mina stared fixedly out at the lake, wishing, hoping, praying, and relying on a miracle she fervently hoped was coming.


	6. Live Like You Were Dying

**A/N:** This chapter is sort of...bland, for lack of a better word (well, technically I can think of several different words but)... Anyway, this chapter is important to the whole timbre or quality of the story, so deal with me.

_**Chapter Six: Live Like You Were Dying**_

**Remus  
**He awoke to the sun beating down on him relentlessly amidst the worried whispers of his friends whom, upon opening his eyes, gave him playful punches and nudges in the ribs. "We having a party?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes while attempting to sit up, and not possessing enough strength for the aforesaid task let gravity do the rest, as he flopped carelessly down onto his bed, much to the consternation of James, who was under the impression that Remus had fainted.

"Do you remember anything about last night?" Sirius prodded gently, not wishing to evoke another mental row within the confines of Remus's mind.

The previous night's events flooded Remus's mind. He put his head in his hands. "Oh God, what a night, huh?"

"Too many Butterbeers Remus? Or perhaps you are hiding something stronger?" Sirius inquired in his most proper tone, the traces of a smirk just barely outlining his features as merriment twinkled in his eyes.

Remus dismissed Sirius with a wave of his hand. "Oh shut up Padfoot! Rummage about if that is what you so desire."

Sirius's face registered that of shock. "Remus..._RUM_? Rum is about?" Sirius's expression abruptly transformed into that of noncommital nonchalance. "So,...we're all friends here, you can tell us where you've hidden the ru--OW!" Sirius whined, and then hung his head like a chastised child, muttering something that sounded very much along the lines of revenge, for James had dealt him a piercing blow to the shins.

"Do you care to talk about it?" James pondered gently, treating Remus like a delicate figurine in a China shop; one false move and he'd shatter.

Remus looked into his friend's eager eyes and he felt compelled to tell them, so with a mighty sigh, he launched into the almost vividly surreal dream. When he finished retelling his nightmare, he had drawn all the blankets up around himself, and began to shiver uncontrollably.

"You don't understand," Remus concluded softly, "it was the whole...mannerism of the nightmare that affected me...just the air of foreboding affected me, almost suffocatingly so. It was more of a vision than of a dream and that truly demoralized me..." He paused while he let his nightmare and commentary sink in. Then after several minutes of stunned silence, Remus gathered up his clothing from out of his trunk at the foot of his bed and walked to the boy's lavatory. "If you think of something to help my now-ruined mental sanity," Remus called over his shoulder just before turning the water to the shower on, "don't hesitate to inform me!"

**Mina**  
She had been standing there for the better part of an hour, and with a quick glance at her watch, proceeded slowly back to the castle. Some part of her wished she could shake this depressing air that befell her person, but some other little (if somewhat more masochistic) part of her wished that she could cling to the depression as a tribute to her mother. She stopped cold in the snow and wondered as to how warped and morbid her mind had become as of late: Mina barely realized she was referring to her mother as if she had already moved on and now chose to affiliate her mother with past tense verbs and other such rubbish. She realized that her own mother would scold her severely if she knew Mina spent nearly every other second worrying about her. Back when her mother was healthy, Charlene would always jest with her daughter to lighten up and start chasing boys, to which Mina would scoff at politely while winking at her, assuring her that she had more than enough time. Now, what did she have to lose by living life like she was dying and by treating each day like it was to be her last?

Mina got a nice shock to find herself facing the two grand double doors that gave one entrance to the Great Hall. She had barely noticed where her feet were carrying her. As she opened the doors, she immediately found Nicki and Marcia by her side, as they had explained that they were about to go find her, and what was she thinking by getting them so worked up? Smiling broadly with tears brimming in her eyes, Mina sat down in her usual seat at the Hufflepuff dining table, once again and blinking back the tears of joie de vivre, engaged in animated pleasantry about the merits of satin versus velveteen.

**Remus  
**He was exceptionally apprehensive about meeting Mina after he had had the nightmare, but he decided not to mention it. She probably had enough on her mind, and to be worried by his frivolous little nightmares would just add unwanted and undue stress upon her life, so he sat there on an impossibly massive boulder patiently awaiting her arrival by the lakeside.

**Mina**  
She bade her Hufflepuff friends farewell for that day, as she planned to spend what was rest of the morning and the afternoon outside in the bracing winds and crisply refreshing draughts of air the castle grounds provided. She smiled to herself, pondering whether or not to announce to the world the location of the fountain of youth, as she knew that if a few spartan minutes were to do wonders such as this to her, by the end of the day the fountain of youth should be a stone's throw away.

And it was during this train of thought that she happened to be walking blithely to the lakeside, planning to think not of her mother, but of a certain boy that had preoccupied her mind greatly as of late, when she saw him. He was sitting on what looked like a miniature mountain, seemingly engrossed in thought, as the sun struck him just so. Her features softened. Poor Remus,...what with his arrogant friends and frequent illnesses... She had slowly approached him from the side and lightly tapped him on the shoulder, when he turned around to face her.

**Remus  
**"Oh Mina!" he exclaimed, not at all startled by her presence. He made room for her on the boulder, though not very much, in the hopes that she would move closer, and to his great delight, she did. In fact, he acutely noticed that their legs were touching; he almost sighed in raptured bliss but realized to do this in front of Mina might not be what one would dub 'a smart move', so instead he cleared his throat, careful to make sure it didn't undergo any bizarre changes in pitch before he plowed ahead.

"So," he asked with blatant nonchalance, "come here often?"

He felt his heart melt when she laughed that entrancing laugh of hers. She glanced over at him, which caused his heart to beat irregularly, a sensation not entirely dissimilar to missing a step on a staircase. She turned her body slightly to face him and Remus's heart began to beat with more and more resonance. He made a courageous move and brought his hand to rest lightly upon hers, but after several death defying and heart stopping moments (or so Remus thought) he gently raised their hands and entwined his fingers with hers.

**Mina**  
She was a bit confounded. She had never known Remus to act in such a manner, but she was thoroughly enjoying it, and after a few more tension filled moments, she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Shortly afterwards she bravely ventured, "Fancy a walk?"

Remus, still holding her hand, looked at her in a disbelieving sort of way and quickly voiced his exuberant approval. He reluctantly let go of her hand and began hopping off the rock, but before Mina could follow suit he was already on the ground, offering her his hand to help her off her high perch. Mina thought the gesture romanic and found herself blushing as she took Remus's outstretched hand. Her hand tingled as it touched Remus's and she briefly wondered if he too felt the ever-constant buzzing tension between them. They began walking in the direction of the Quidditch stadium, a distant destination in the mid-morning sky.


	7. Jeune Amour

**A/N:** After reading this chapter, I was utterly amazed that- even by my low standards- I found the chapter worthy of a compost heap, but find it worthy I did. So here I am, praying that you won't find yourself exasperated at this inept writer of humble fanfiction. Alas, I digress. I wish for you to read this new chapter, which is hopefully loads better than the older one.

_**Chapter Seven: Jeune Amour**_

**Mina**

She fell down haphazardly onto her luxurious four-poster bed and surveyed her surroundings. The burnished oak panel flooring; the fat feather-bed on which she now lay, with its gorgeous high black bedstead with carved posts; her miniature table, with its brass-knobbed drawers and other such accoutrements. She sighed, then rolled over on her back, and preceded to gaze up at the stunningly sewn indigo canopy of her four-poster bed. This wasn't the first time she was rendered utterly perplexed by Remus's behaviour...and, in all confidentiality, probably wasn't going to be the last. _What was he playing at?_ she pondered in the silence of her dormitory.

* * *

_Earlier that day_

Though it had been Mina who suggested they take a walk, now she wasn't so sure what to say, or whom to speak about,...nor was she entirely sure what to do and was more than a tad bit apprehensive in regards to where this was leading to. She was, to say the least, a nervous wreck, but this could be attributed to a number of things, the utmost in Mina's mind, the fact that Remus was holding her hand as they walked. Every fiber in her being screamed at her to do something, exactly what still remained unclear at the moment, which vexed Mina so. What was Remus doing to her? Why did she feel this way? Was it normal or to be expected? She was halfway through a sigh, when she realized that the object of her inner affections was holding her hand. She decided several nanoseconds too late to stifle her sigh and doing her best to conceal it, changed it into a light cough. She withdrew her hand from Remus' and in doing so gave him an airy explanation.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, but I do believe I've contracted a slight cold." She glanced over at him and saw his crestfallen face.

"Oh...er...right, of course..." he concluded. "Nasty bit of weather we've been having, eh?" he mumbled to the ground. His shoelaces had suddenly become the center of his life, Mina distressingly noted. She was so caught up in silently rebuking herself with such severity that it took her a few uncomfortable seconds to reply, in which she folded her arms across her chest, as if to brace herself against the stinging winds.

"Oh! Um...yes, yes, of course." now she too had begun to stare at her shoelace as if it were some type of elusive and fascinating creature she might never have the chance to see again. _This is unheard of! _she screamed at herself, gritting her teeth as though she were in actual pain. _What in the bloody hell...is WRONG WITH ME? Of all the sodding gits in the world that Remus could've choosen to hung out with, he choose me!_ If left to her own devices, Mina could do some serious harm to herself, all due to the fact that she had, heretofore, done a superb job of botching this little conversation up. After several minutes of awkward silence, Mina was grateful that it was Remus who was the first to stop scrutinizing his attire to gaze about the tremendously wonderful landscape, to which they had hitherto been utterly oblivious to, and attempted to will intelligible words from his own gaping mouth.

"So...how do you think you did on your exams?" he queried gently, as if testing the waters.

"I think I did alright." she replied slowly, she too chose her words carefully as if to avoid a row. "The History of Magic exam was a little bit difficult," she admitted, with a slight hint of chagrin in her voice, "I don't think that I kept the goblin rebellions straight...And yourself? How did you fare?" she inqured politely.

"What, on the goblin rebellions?" he asked, slightly taken aback, as if she had the nerve to imply that he was anything less than spectacular in the devine subject that was the History of Magic, or so it appeared to Mina as such. _Oh, please!_ she chided herself, sounding more and more like her father when, after making a huge show of rolling his eyes, he would ask her to please cease being dramatic whenever she chose to indulge in what her father considered farcical shows of passion over something he would tend to see as exceedingly trivial. More often than not, he was right, much to Mina's exasperation. Her father could never know that she resolutely and earnestly felt that if she ever wanted to become someone famous, someone worthwhile, she would have to have had at least some flair for the dramatic during some time in her life. It was only her father's capriciously unfavorable luck that she rarely acted like this at school, choosing only to let her parents see the more exuburent side of her, while at school on the other hand, she prefered to associate herself with a small clique made up of people whose ideas, customs, conduct and other such attributes were similar to hers. She was moderately puzzled when Remus seemingly flippantly declared, "Oh...um...fine." Oh, um, fine, what? she thought to herself, startled out of her recollective trance.

Before she had a chance to recall to her ailing memory what it was that had been said, Remus indifferently asked, "And what rebellions did you become muddled by?" This time, there was no doubt in Mina's mind that Remus had asked this as if his mind were preoccupied with other, more pressing manners. Mina was suddenly overwhelmed with the atrociously frightening premonition and impression he had only asked her out of sympathy, as if he was too busy to become involved in or worried about the plight of a daff schoolgirl.

Not realizing that she had yet to supply Remus with an answer, as she was so paralyzed with fear, she walked on silently; Remus obviously attributing her silence as a time to reflect on the various goblin rebellions one might get muddled by. A few minutes and meters later, Remus asked of her, "Was it the rebellion of 1456 versus the rebellion of 1656?"

"Oh!" she mumbled, as if Remus was spot on. "Yes, it was a tad bit confusing..." she added inconclusively. She simply could not bare to spend another minute here with Remus, as she was unable to think coherently in his presence, something she desperately needed now to do. With much guilt, she decided to fall back on her previous prevarication and in doing so, tried to produce a mock cough. She suceeded, and trying desperately to appear hapless, asked of Remus, "Remus, I'm not feeling too well...Would you mind if I went back to the castle?"

"Oh no, not at all." Remus alleged, in a dull and (dare she think it?) forlorn tone.

"Right then...Perhaps, I'll see you on the morrow..." Mina trailed, forgetting her hacking cough and unfortunately severe cold, brought on by the onset of the supposed glacial temperatures. She turned towards the castle, only stopping to turn around and look back once, and as she did so, saw Remus walking briskly in the other direction.

_Present time_

* * *

She sighed once again, and looked about her person pessimistically. _And men say _we're_ hard to understand_...and with that she, once again, let her thoughts trail off. 

**Remus**

He had clearly made a mistake somewhere, he noted dejectedly. What other cause was there for her behaviour? Why couldn't he do anything right? First the whole Quidditch practice fiasco and now this. _Damn letter!_ he silently fumed, remembering the letter he had sent Mina regarding the Quidditch practice times. He had only written that pathetic excuse for a letter because he was horribly frightened, what with the date of the ball and other such pressing matters and dates encroaching-nay, impeding- upon his person and livelihood. He sighed, remembering how he had originally planned to write her to inquire if she was available in a casual, and what Remus would've liked to have hoped, friendly manner, but as Remus's luck would have it, a drunken James had stumbled over to where Remus sat and began to pester him. Thankfully Sirius had pulled James away from Remus, but regrettably, the damage had already been done, and Remus had undergone yet another mental row. His thoughts had taken a turn for the paranoid and then, all of his once-bountiful morale had been shot. _What if somebody intercepts the letter?_ was the terrifed thought of the hormonal driven teenager. One thing led to another, and Mina was given a letter about Quidditch times. Remus still wasn't quite sure how those chain of events had produced that bloody excuse for a letter but he still hung his head at the memory, which caused him to look ominously like a man being led to the guillotine.

Remus raised his head reluctantly, and began scrutinizing the region which he currently found himself in. He had grown to love the intolerably beautiful season that was winter over the past few days, as it permitted him time to be with Mina. The winter days shone with what one might call clear brilliance; the evenings were like cups of the purest vintage of winter's wine; the nights with their dazzling stars that amazed and astounded. He thought it simply marvelous that he was able to arrange a rendezvous with Mina within such a resplendently magnificent ambience.

Remus fondly recalled a recent tramp through the exquisite reticence of the grounds after snow had fallen gently onto Hogwarts. At times they seemed to be strolling through a bewitched world of crystal and pearl, so luminous and radiant were the woods, clearings, castle, and sky. It was then that Mina confessed to Remus her great love of the season; a conversation Remus could recall verbatim...

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Oh, Remus!" she sighed in rapture, "Isn't it the most wonderous thing to have every laid eyes upon?" she exclaimed, taking in with delight the sight that lay before her eyes._

_He chuckled, amused at her earnest behaviour. "Well,...I suppose so..." he added inadequately, then purposefully trailed off._

_"Oh, Remus, how ever can you remain so infuriating neutral on such a day which makes its abode in such a splendid season?" she all but sang, causing Remus to ponder as to what had lifted her spirits so. "How can you not love the exquisitely tranquil winter sunrises, especially when the sun suddenly peers through the ominous grey clouds, thus piercing the lovely birches of ice and ferns, placing them in a silvery thaw? Or how about when you look up to see the mountains around the castle transformed into ice grey baronial monoliths and the lake a gorgeous chilled steel?" she queried to a thoroughly perplexed Remus, all the while trying desperately to sustain a solemn face, or so it appeared as such to Remus, but before Remus was able to supply her with, what he perceived as an acceptable answer, she burst into her telltale sing-song laughter._

_"Remus!" she cried amid gales of laughter, "you needn't try so hard! 'Twas merely a jest!" He took this opportunity, as always, to take in her lovely features. Her golden cloud of hair made a stunning aurora about her face and fell in a shimmering wave behind her back. The bracing winds had crimsoned her cheeks and her eyes were alight with mirth. God, how he loved her._

_End Flashback_

* * *

He smiled, beamed rather, as was customary whenever his thoughts turned to those of Mina. He frowned abruptly, after recalling the events of his last 'rendezvous' with Mina, which he knew he had fumbled up horrendously. He had been exceptionally preoccupied, if truth be told. _The matter was of great importance, though!_ he silently justified to himself. Remembering the events of the afternoon he felt himself turn an interesting hue of red. He remembered that as he had glanced up from his shoelaces to survey the surrounding area, he was in awe at the world of crystal and pearl in which he had found himself and Mina. It was then that he had planned to ask her to the ball, but was bewildered as to how to go about it. He walked along with Mina trying to multitask, a suit that was quite obviously not his strongest, and after Mina had left him he correctly assumed that he had seemed perceptibly preoccupied, thus the cause for Mina's premature departure. He sighed, and looked about himself despairingly, knowing that Mina, in all probability, thought him some stupid great prat. She might even be so inclined as to hex him upon sight when she saw him next. He moaned, utterly caught up in his despair, and upon seeing the sun's relation to the horizon, trudged wearily up to the castle. 

**Mina**

She hadn't the slightest clue as to how long she had lain in her bed, pondering over the afternoon's events, trying in vain to explain to herself Remus's queer behaviour. _Maybe he's simply grown tired of me..._she thought to herself disconsolately. _Or maybe_, a logical voice reasoned in her head, _he's worried about someone...just as you were that day out near the lake_...

Mina was confounded that she had not thought out this angle earlier, and could've slapped herself for not doing so. As she slowly rose from her bed, she let out a small cry of shock to see that the sun was setting and knew that dinner would soon be served in the Great Hall, so leaping to her feet and hastily making herself ready for dinner, she put on her shoes,while flying down the winding spiral staircase that led to the common room, and all but jumped out of the portrait hole.


End file.
